Open hole packer of the sleeve type



Nov. 3, 1953 Filed Feb. 29, 1950 5% mm m mm 4 $7 y 4 Wm E M u m m m ahi' u BY gm, WQMM Patented Nov. 3, 1953 OPEN HOLE PACKER OF THE SLEEVE TYPE Thomas M. Johnston, La Canada, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Johnston Testers, Inc., Houston, Tex., a. corporation of Delaware Application February 20, 1950, Serial No. 145,219

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an oil well tool, and particularly pertains to an open hole packer of the sleeve type.

In packers which are used to pack off fluid in an open hole it is desirable to provide a packer which has an operating mechanism of relatively short length so that it is compact and does not require an extensive stroke of the mandrel but may be easily operated and assembled and disassembled when required. It is also desirable to provide a packer having a mandrel sleeve which is mounted in position without the use of objectionable split mounting rings, thus insuring that the packer and the head may be easily assembled. It is the principal object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a compact packer head by which a sleeve packer may be easily mounted upon a mandrel and by which head the packer sleeve may be readily set and released.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a packer sleeve having collars at its opposite ends, the lower collar being associated with means whereby it may be held against motion and the weight of a drill swing may be tion through the upper portion of the packer with which the present invention is concerned.

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section through the lower portion of the packer structure.

Fig. 3 is a view in transverse section through the head of the packer structure as seen on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 isa view in transverse section through the packer as seen on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1 and shows the manner in which the elements are keyed together.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, l indicates a supporting string of pipe carrying a threaded box II to receive a threaded pin l2 of an upper sub l3. The upper sub I3 is formed with a tubular section I4 having a central bore l5 which is relatively large in diameter as compared to a fluid circulating passageway l6 extending through the pin l2 and communicating with the pipe [0. The lower end of the tubular portion I4 is internally threaded, as indicated at IT, and receives a threaded extension l8. This 2 extension is formed with an external thread I9 to engage the thread in the tubular member l4 and an internal bore which is threaded at to receive a retaining nut 2|. The portion [4 is formed at the upper end of a lower sub 22. This sub and the extension are formed with a central bore 23 to receive a tubular mandrel 24. The mandrel 24 is fitted with longitudinal splinereceiving keyways 25 which receive splines 26 fitted into keyways 26' formed in the extension H. The splines 26 are held in position by the retaining nuts 2|. The lower end of the lower sub 22 is formed with a threaded extension 21 which engages a threaded bore 28 of a packer collar 29. The packer collar 29 is imbedded in the rubber sleeve 30 forming the side wall or open hole packer. The lower end of the mandrel 24 is externally threaded at 3| to engage the threads 32 of a tubular extension 33 formed upon a connecting sub 34. The extension 33 is externally threaded at 35 to engage the threaded bore 35 of a lower packing collar 31. The lower end of the extension sub 34 is formed with a pin 38 by which the structure may be connected to a perforated anchor 39 or the slip mechanism of a hook wall packer, as desired. It will be understood that when a perforated anchor is used the packer is set by first resting the end of the perforated anchor upon the bottom of the drilled hole, and that when the slip mechanism of a hook wall packer is used the packer is set by causing the slips to grip a well casing at a predetermined depth. It is usual to construct a slip hook wall mechanism so that it can be manipulated through the drill string to release the mechanism by disconnecting a bayonet joint of conventional type. When a perforated anchor is used it is desirable to provide a shear pin 40 which passes through the lower sub 22 and the tubular mandrel 24. Thus when weight is imposed to shear the pin 43 the packer may be set.

At the upper end of the mandrel 24 is a threaded section 4! which receives an enlarged nut 42 designed to slide in the bore iii of the sub 13. This nut may rest upon a shoulder 43 at the upper end of the threaded extension 18 of the lower sub 22 when it is desired to pull the packer from the well.

In assembling the device the lower end of the mandrel 24 is threaded into the portion 33 of the extension sub 34. The packer is then positioned over the mandrel and is screwed into the extension sub 34 by threads 35 and 36. The lower sub 22 of the head is then placed over the mandrel and is then attached to the upper packer collar mandrel will extend a shorter distance than the r Y length of the bore I5 and section I4 may move downwardly relative to nut 42, the nut being allowed to move, relatively speaking, farther into the bore when the packer 30 is compressed.

When it is desired to withdraw the packer the supporting string I0 is elevated. This will pull upwardly on the upper and lower subs l3 and;

22 and will exert a pull on the collar 29. This action will relieve the weight of the string upon the sleeve 30 and will permit the distended. sleeve to return to its original-position. vWhen thelower sub has been elevated to bring the extension 20 of the, lower sub into engagement with the Shoulder 43 on the nut 42 the nut will be engaged to pull the mandrel upwardly. The mandrel in cooperation with sub 34 will lift the packing collar 31, and the lower sub 22 will lift the upper packing collar 29 and raise sleeve 30 from the well without any strain being imposed upon the sleeve. Attention is directed to said fact that the collars 29 and 31 are undercut at 44 (generally frustoconical in formation) and that the ends of the sleeve seat in this undercut portion while they embrace the extensions 45 of the, collars. This makes it possible for a sleeve packer to be provided which does not employ or require split rings to hold the packer in position, and protects the ends of the packer from damage when being lowered into the hole or withdrawn therefrom.

It will thus be seen that the structure here disclosed Comprises a simple packer construction in which the parts of the packer are of relatively small dimensions requiring a short stroke of the setting and releasing mechanism, and insuring that the packer may be easily manipulated in its setting or releasing operation. It is to be further pointed out that the packer structure here shown is rugged in design and that the parts are not liable to become broken .or jammed when -oper ated.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known to me, it will be understood that various changes may be made in combination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sleeve packer comprising a deformable packer sleeve, a single integral unitary tubular mandrel slidably receivable through said packer sleeve to enable said packer sleeve to readily slide axially down the mandrel when being deformed into its operative position and slide axially up the mandrel when returning to its inoperative position, a lower tubular sub threadedly receiving the lower end of the mandrel, a collar threadedly receivable on the upper end of the lower sub and having an upwardly diverging frusto-conical surta eengagingthe lower end or the packer sleeve,

4 an upper tubular sub telescopically receivable over the upper end of the mandrel, a collar threadedly received on the lower end of the upper sub and having a downwardly diverging frustoconical surface engaging the upper end of the packer sleeve, the upper end of the upper sub terminating in an externally threaded pin, a top tubular sub having a threaded ,zbox threadedly engaging the pin, the internal diameter of the top sub being greater than the internal diameter of. the upper sub so as to expose the upper end of the upper sub, keyways formed on the interior of the upper end of the upper sub, keys received by the keyways, an externally threaded retaining nut telescopicallyreceivable over the upper end of :thevmandrel, threadedly engaging the interior of the nppersub and engaging the keys to retain the keys in place, said mandrel having keyways formed on the exterior thereof slidably receiving the keys, and a nut threadedly received on the upperend of the mandrel engageable with Ithe upper-end of the upper sub enabling an upward force to be applied to the underside aof the'packer sleeve through the mandrel to unseat the packer sleeve and alsopreventing disen agement of the keys and keyways.

2. A sleeve packer comprising a deformable packer sleeve, a tubular mandrel slidably received through said packer sleeve to enable said packer sleeve to'readily slide axially down the mandrel when being deformed into its operative position and slide axially up the mandrel when returning to its inoperative-position, a lowertubuiar sub threadedly receiving the lower end of the mandrel, a collar threadedly receivable on the upper end of the lower sub and engaging the lower endof the packer sleeve, an upper tubular ,subtelescopically receivable over the upper end of the mandrel, a collar threadedly received on the lower end of the upper sub and engaging the upperend of the packer sleeve, the upper endof the upper sub terminating in an externally threaded pin; a top tubular sub having a threaded box threadedly engaging the pin, the internaldiameter of the top sub being greater than the internal diameter of the upper sub soras to expose the'upper end of the upper sub, keyways formed on the interior of the upper end .of the-uppersub, keys received by the keyways, an externally threaded retaining nut telescopically received over the upper-endof the mandrel, threadedly engaging the interior of the upper sub and engaging the keys to retain the keys in place, said mandrel having keyways formed on the exterior thereof slidably-receiving the keys, and a nut threadedlyreceived on the upper end of the mandrel'engageable with the upper end of the-upper sub enabling an upward force to be applied to the under side of the packer sleeve throughthe mandrel to unseat the packer sleeve and also prevent a disengagement of the keys and keyways.

THOMAS M, JOHNSTON.

References Cited in the file ofnthispatent UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number 

